Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy-Chapter 674: Jundong (10)

In short, the disaster began with carelessness.

Originally, dungeons, where the minions of the Evil Gods lurked, should have been feared by people.

Just by appearing, they should have been capable of annihilating entire cities, causing countless casualties, leading many heroes to their deaths, and threatening the very existence of nations.

Even if there had been prior preparation, the outcome would have been the same. These places were meant to always carry the thick stench of blood. Everyone living in the mythic age knew this.

They never doubted that the appearance of a dungeon near their home would surely mean death.

However, hundreds of years later, the land was only scattered with the joys of victory. Due to this complacency, death, which should have occurred, was blocked by the apostles of the divine, and naturally, people began thinking:

"Wait, perhaps the minions of the Evil Gods have been overhyped?"

"Even if all the terrifying records from the past were true, perhaps they have weakened by now, after hundreds of years?"

"That little child is clearing dungeons so easily. If they can do it, surely we can too."

Many didn’t understand how extraordinary Lucy was.

They didn’t grasp how bizarre her method of clearing dungeons was.

Even those who had listened to her explain her approach couldn’t comprehend it.

The dungeons Lucy spoke of were incredibly simple.

All she did was run to the boss room, and after knowing the boss’s strategy, she toyed with it and killed it.

Lucy Allen had shared only that, and she had indeed cleared dungeons with that method.

Just a few years ago, the noble young lady, who had only been criticized, the girl who was born from the bloodline of heroes but hadn’t even been properly trained in combat for two years, didn’t take along any heroes but instead took children her own age to face the past nightmares one by one.

At least, that's how many saw it. The knights of Parma, when the catastrophe struck, thought the same.

"They’re doing it, so why can’t we?"

"We know everything about that dungeon. Why should we wait for that girl?"

"How about we clear the dungeon ourselves before the divine church’s power suppresses us? We could even force other nations to owe us."

"Once all this is over, our religion could rise in power. This must be done."

The people of Parma agreed with this opinion, and as soon as the dungeon appeared, they decided not to block the monsters spilling out but instead to enter the dungeon and eliminate the source of the threat.

This was an arrogant decision, but it wasn’t entirely wrong. After all, very few people knew about Lucy’s uniqueness, regardless of the authority the apostle of the divine held.

If one were to analyze their mistake, it would be their failure to consider the possibility of failure.

They didn’t think about what would happen if they failed.

They only imagined themselves standing in glory after successfully clearing the dungeon.

Because of this, when the first mistake happened, they couldn’t correct it.

When monsters resembling knights appeared through the dungeon gate, they foolishly offered their necks.

Chaos began.

The commander, who had been standing at the front to praise those who emerged, lost his head.

Amid the confusion, others around him died.

Only then did they begin to draw their weapons, but by that time, it was too late.

In the confusion, they couldn’t distinguish between friend and foe, and the main force of knights fell helplessly.

People were dying. Enemies were multiplying. The number of monsters spilling out of the dungeon grew exponentially.

The front line was pushed back.

Once again, people were dying. The number of monsters grew, while the number of soldiers kept shrinking.

Stepping over corpses, the soldiers retreated once again.

People were dying.

People had died.

They died.

The soldiers on the front line, at some point, understood that they were going to die.

They knew there was no way out, no matter how hard they fought.

Unless a miracle happened, this city was doomed.

They knew they would be swept away by the tide of monsters, so many chose to flee, while others calmly accepted their deaths. However, some gritted their teeth and stayed at the front.

They didn’t think they could survive.

They didn’t believe in a miracle.

They simply wished that those behind them would die even one second later than they would.

By dying first, they prayed that a tiny chance would be created.

Even if the moment came when all life in the world ended, they wished for others’ lives to last just a little bit longer.

"...Ha."

The soldier, who had been reaching for his cigarette, belatedly realized his right arm was gone and let out a dry laugh.

He awkwardly moved his left arm to retrieve the cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth, then began searching his pockets.

Only then did he realize he had no way to light it.

"If only I had learned magic back then," he lamented.

When he was a mercenary, he had rejected learning magic from the wizard, and now he regretted it.

He chewed the end of his cigarette, his mind growing fuzzy, and closed his eyes.

His comrade was shouting something beside him, and in the distance, screams and the roars of monsters echoed, but the soldier could not open his eyes.

Too much blood had been spilled.

Too much time had passed without rest.

Everything they had done was overwhelming.

Now, he just wanted to rest. To sleep for just a moment, then wake up.

To take up his weapon and charge forward.

Even if it meant dying in place of his comrades, to go forward.

Yes, just for a moment. Just a brief rest, then everything.

At that moment, an odd warmth enveloped his body.

It was the same warmth he felt when lying on the spring meadow, closing his eyes.

The warmth calmed the soldier, and the fading consciousness rose back to the surface. The pain that had wrapped around his body dulled, and strength returned to his body, which he thought would never stand again.

When the soldier, feeling this, slowly opened his eyes, he saw an angel standing on the castle wall.

Amid the gray earth, the angel shone alone, praying towards the sky with her eyes closed.

The soldier stared at the scene blankly, then suddenly turned his head.

The sounds of the battlefield had disappeared.

There were no more screams. No more shouting. No more anger. No more crying. Nothing.

The only thing left on the battlefield was the awe towards the angel standing on the castle wall.

The monsters... Where were the monsters?

The soldier, trying to rise by bracing himself on his right arm, stumbled and stood up.

Only then did he realize why all sounds had ceased. The monsters were retreating.

Unable to breach the warmth created by the angel, they were falling back. Again, they retreated.

Watching this scene, the soldier recalled a story he had heard of a hero.

The story of a paladin who had pushed all monsters back with nothing but his light.

"Oh, great Lord."

At the moment someone expressed reverence, those standing on the battlefield began to gather their hands together.

Then they prayed to the sky. "Great Lord, please protect those standing here on this land."

"May your will touch the earth, defeating evil and spreading goodness."

"For the great Lord."

"For the apostle who carries your will."

"For the good that must exist in this world."

Each soldier, speaking the words that filled them, faced the monsters glaring at them from the castle wall.

They expressed their hatred toward those who despised the apostle of the Lord.

"For those we must protect!"

Once again, when humans and monsters collided, it was the monsters that were pushed back.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

 The sword of the warrior favored by the God of Martial Arts cut through the air, and countless monster heads flew through the sky.

When the dark god and great sorcerer’s disciple cast his magic, a thunderbolt fell from the sky, tearing through the monster army.

A prince of a kingdom traveled to all parts of the front line, supporting everyone with magic and sword.

The saint, the face of the Church of the Lord, resurrected those who should have died, maintaining the line.

And, as expected, the apostle of the Lord, standing at the front, continued moving forward, even covered in the blood of monsters.

All of this was being watched from a distance by the Pope.

"Isn't it more beautiful than ever? Look at how he fights, keeping his mouth shut for those who rely on him."

"Indeed, Your Holiness."

The Pope’s knights, active in the city, nodded repeatedly at his words.

"Though, it is unfortunate. Just a little confusion, and those who doubted and sinned are still alive."

"That’s true. According to the original plan, this city should have been destroyed."

The apostle’s descent was already foretold, but no one had imagined that the miracle performed by that one person would stop all the monsters.

Once again, I have underestimated him.

"But there’s no need to rush. Those who sinned will stay alive, and this will make the apostle’s story even more dramatic."

After suffering great damage when they headed toward the Allen Territory, the Pope changed direction.

He decided to bring trials upon those he was protecting.

Although the apostle of the Lord, who had suffered enough pain in his life, would not give up humanity for a few accusations, the Pope believed that if many died, it would be a despair that would lead to trials, perfecting the apostle.

For that reason, this city must collapse. But, ha ha, this isn’t so bad.

The Pope would now be able to test those around the apostle, and everyone would come to know the apostle’s power.

Afterward, statues of him would probably be erected in his homeland.

Honestly, I had been somewhat disappointed before.

"Let us withdraw for now. It seems the position of this side is about to be discovered."

"Understood, Your Holiness."

That day is not far off. Apostle.

The day you will give me a trial is soon coming.